Samsung will debut mini retail spots in the U.S., the first opening on April 8. Imaginechina/Corbis

April 5, 2013

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1. A DISAPPOINTING EMPLOYMENT REPORT SCARES INVESTORS The U.S. economy added just 88,000 jobs in March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. The gains — the weakest in nine months — fell far short of the nearly 200,000 analysts expected, and sent stocks tumbling as investors feared the economic recovery might be losing steam. The unemployment rate edged down to 7.6 percent, from 7.7 percent, the lowest it's been since December 2008, but the dip was largely attributed to the 500,000 people who either left the workforce or stopped looking for work entirely. The White House said the numbers were actually proof we're slowly recovering from the Great Recession, as the economy has now added jobs for 37 straight months. [The Week]………………………………………………………………………………

2. SAMSUNG OPENING MINI-STORES AT BEST BUYSamsung is stepping up its battle with Apple by setting up mini-stores at Best Buy locations to showcase its tablets and smartphones. The South Korean tech company will begin opening its 500 Samsung Experience Shops on April 8. Best Buy is setting aside about 460 square feet of prime turf near the front of some of its largest stores, which can have 40,000 square feet of space. Samsung will put its own staff in the mini-stores to demonstrate new features on its latest Galaxy S4 phone, as well as its smart TVs, laptops, and tablets. Neither company revealed details on the financial arrangements behind the deal. [Bloomberg]………………………………………………………………………………

3. KFC GOES BONELESSThe classic bucket of fried chicken may soon be "banished to the dust-heap of fast-food lore," says Bruce Horovitz at USA Today. KFC plans to launch Original Recipe Boneless chicken on April 14, marking a revolutionary brand reversal for a fast-food chain built on the popularity of what has always been its core product — Colonel Sanders' old-fashioned fried chicken drumsticks, thighs, and breasts. The move to boneless, skinless chicken chunks — still deep-fried in the company's super-secret herbs and spices — comes as KFC struggles to bounce back after losing sales due to the recession and the rise of popular new chains such as Panera and Chipotle. [USA Today]………………………………………………………………………………

4. U.S. TRADE GAP NARROWSThe U.S. trade deficit fell unexpectedly in February, as strong oil and natural gas production reduced crude oil imports to the lowest in 16 years, the Commerce Department reported Friday. The trade gap fell to $43 billion, a 3.4 percent drop from the $44.5 billion January figure. The decline in February was unexpected, although the U.S. has been increasing its energy production thanks to growing use of new technology, such as the controversial technique known as fracking that allows energy companies to extract oil and gas that used to be inaccessible. [MarketWatch] ………………………………………………………………………………

5. TARGET APOLOGIZES FOR PLUS-SIZED, 'MANATEE-GRAY' DRESSTarget issued a public apology after a shocked online shopper spotted "plus-size kimono maxi dress" with a color the company described as "manatee gray," associating the garment with a 3,000-pound mammal often referred to as a sea cow. The irritated customer noted that smaller sizes of similar garments in the same color were described as "dark heather gray." A spokeswoman said Target was sorry for "any discomfort." The company removed the "manatee gray" description from plus-sized garments, and noted that it had used the term to describe clothing in all sizes, including petite. [The Week]